Dan Maynard

Anyway, this is what I did. The strange looking bit in the middle is sound, there is some strange shadow in the photo. About six feet down the main stem had some decay, I think looking at the rest it had been cut there before so I took it back to that point and then shaped in to match.

I think I am partly the victim of being too lazy to type enough to say what I mean. What I mean by not tolerate pruning is that the wood is susceptible to decay, they aren't brilliant at occluding cuts and sometimes sprout really unattractively after being pruned or have limbs die off. And what I mean by drawing the line is not to advocate pontificating, but take a different approach and do more work explaining to the customer pros and cons and maybe push back against work which could cause a lot of rot. In contrast I had a eucalyptus and a hawthorn on different jobs last week, no problem whacking them as hard back as the customer wants, will be fine. I have agreed a fell and replant with some birch but they were a funny shape with little to cut back to, and easy fell across the cul-de-sac on a Sunday morning.

To be fair to them, just received another email from the same vendor apologising and explaining that they couldn't get hold of gel through normal routes so had to go out and buy it from an obscure retailer at elevated price, hence as cost price was high it got sold on at high price. I think they're decent people, trying to get hold of sanitizer because people kept asking for it.

Likewise, we had some re-rating done years ago and turned out it went down as the toilet not rateable area. Sorry I can't see them doing anything in a rush. Having said that, if you don't ask you definitely won't get.

Yep. I guess it depends where you are, some areas in town can have narrow gates and tight turns.

I think it's bigger than I thought, probably have added in that extra hour.

Worth searching out TomD's pricing method if you can. Everyone has their own suck through the teeth and pick a number, I've been using a version of this myself, seems to work. There are customers who choose you because you're trustworthy and others who only pick the lowest price, ideally you work more for the first type. I'll try to paraphrase, and add the caveat that this is just what I'd do in my head. The costumers usually have no idea at all how long things will take and don't see things in those terms. Start with one hour, then imagine how many hours it would take on a lazy afternoon, multiply total hours by 75. If you're a bigger firm or using specialist kit then your hourly rate will obviously be different. If you reckon you can stick a ladder up, tie in and drop it all on the ground then it doesn't look an hour's cutting so not less than 150. If you are going to have to lower stuff then maybe add in another hour, or indeed if there is more there than it is appearing to me in the photo. It's a starting point anyway.

I'd go for oak too, slightly stringy on the split, but not looking quite right on the end. I've never split turkey oak - could it be that?

I'm on the line of hiring at the moment as my small grinder was nicked. Problem is you ideally need the biggest grinder you can get to the stump so 460 will be better in every way until it won't fit down a path.

I think cheap wedges (Oregon) are made from ABS, more expensive (Stihl) will say made from polyamide. It's slightly softer but doesn't go brittle when cold, I found lumps cracking off the Oregon ones. Now have a couple of K&H which are fine too. Then it depends how much wedging you do, much back lean and it's handy to have a Stihl hi-lift or two.

Ah that's what flapjack looks like. Apparently my wife made a whole tray last week but we've got two teenage boys at home now schools are shut. Grrrr. Mind I was like it when I was their age, can't really blame 'em.

Or do, cut a stick about finger thickness and make a whistle. Have a video of my scouts trying to blow my eardrums but not sure I can post it.

Or pasta. I got the same email I guess, thinking that's expensive but then have they actually done a good job to find some at all? Where is anyone else buying it? Alternative is hot water and soap, so maybe take a huge flask to site?

I would hang fire before sending them off there, wait for a few more people to chime in as I think not universally recommended.

I don't think the LPX is narrow kerf so in theory at least it won't cut as fast. Personally I would want the chain I ordered, you have a narrow kerf setup which is probably a good thing at 16" on a 346. Change supplier.

Definitely. Long lost brother?

Photos not attaching....

This is my effort, the horse chestnut was a bit knackered from previous topping so I just screwed the beam on the side of it, other three legs are long fence posts. Made up four panels of 2x2 on the garage floor and boarded using borrowed chop saw and air nailer. Rope ladder comes up through a trapdoor. Overall not a huge amount of work, our boys spent a lot of time in it so for me it was well worth the effort. I think they were about 4 and 6 when I built it, old enough to help painting it green anyway. They did also spend a lot of time outside in the sandpit and on the climbing frame, I guess like all these things you have to try and the kids will take to some but not all.

Funnily enough the letter from the minister contains the same wording as the gov.uk website. I think we have to find ways of working with the virus, it is nasty and contagious but it's not Novichok nerve agent. So far I've only done jobs on my own, easy to keep separate and not exchange anything with the customer but more solid advice about procedures would be good from the AA. Pretend all the tools are covered with shite? I bet eggsarascal can manage not to lick his fingers in the middle of a job.

That one says 30kW main motor, 37kW total. I don't think you will find a single phase supplied inverter of that power, only option really is a 3 phase supply. That is a lot of power, guess it will cut really fast.

My wife got involved volunteering at a community tree nursery a few years ago, they planted hawthorn. Apparently you have to bash the seeds to simulate being eaten and then plant in soil. I planted some whips this week to infill gaps in a hedge. Several of the suppliers are saying they're overwhelmed and two weeks behind but the Hedge Nursery despatched a pack of 25 overnight.

I've got an Armorgard tuffbank bolted to the floor and wall. Tuffbank WWW.ARMORGARD.CO.UK The market leading, multipurpose tool vault. Available in 8 sizes, this is our best-selling, secure, site storage solution.

I thought maybe he puts the generator a long way away so he can still hear Radio 4 ? Long extension leads don't help, I think because they reduce the voltage available at the motor during startup.

Kontroltek. Looking at their website probably not good for you, I reckon Les is spot on with rewind companies.

My limited experience of tree surgeons suggests a weak correlation between someones name and what they are called.